MEBOPS. 65 



Major Bingham writes from Teuasserim : — " This bird being 

 partially migratory is often overlooked ; but it is common nearly 

 all the year round at Kaukarit on the Houudraw river, where it 

 breeds in April and May in the sandy banks of the Kaukarit 

 choung." 



The eggs are white, highly glossed, and very spherical ovals. 

 They average considerably smaller than those of the European 

 Bee-eater, but otherwise they are perfectly identical with these, 

 and I fancy that it would be impossible to separate small specimens 

 of M. apiaster from large ones of M. philippinus. 



In length tbey vary from 0-82 to 0-97 inch, and in breadth from 

 0'67 to 0'85 inch ; but the average of more than fifty eggs 

 measured was 0-88 by 0-76 inch. 



Merops persicus, Pall. The Blue-cheehed Bee-eater. 



Merops segyptius, Forsh., Jerd. B. Ind. i, p. 209 ; Same, Rough 

 Draft N. §■ E. no. 120. 



Mr. Adam writes : — " The Blue-cheeked Bee-eater occurs close 

 to Sambhur, and in the Marot hills the natives showed me the 

 holes in which it breeds about the beginning of the rains. I have 

 not yet obtained the eggs." 



Major Bingham remarks : — "This large and handsome Bee- 

 eater makes its appearance at Delhi, and in the districts to the 

 south and west, in the end of April ; at first in small numbers, 

 but about May in immense flocks. About Delhi itself they bred 

 sparingly, chiefly in high sandy banks near the Jumna ; but at 

 Sooltanpoor, near Grurhi Hursaroo, on the Rajpootaua State 

 Eailway Line in great numbers. The breeding-season lasts from 

 the middle of May to the middle of July, the last eggs I took 

 being on the 9th of the latter month ; but most nests contain 

 young by the end of June. Five is the greatest number of eggs I 

 have found in any one nest, and this only on two occasions ; the 

 usual number laid I think is three or four. 



"The depth of the nest-holes varies from 3 to 7 feet; in 

 diameter they vary from 2 to 3| inches, and the tunnel almost 

 invariably has a slight inclination upwards, with an occasional 

 divergence to the right or left, and ends in a chamber about 9 

 inches in length, 4 in breadth, and 4 in lieight. This is never 

 lined, the eggs being laid on the bare ground. In such nests as 

 I have been unlucky enough to dig out and found tenanted by 

 young ones, I found the remains of grasshoppers, locusts, and 

 other insects, strewing the floor of the chamber. I was glad to 

 find that these latter nests, though ruined, were not deserted by 

 the old birds ; but the young fed and taken care of till able to 



fly." 



The eggs are of the usual Bee-eater type, in shape normally 

 very broad ovals, pure white and very glossy. The shape, however, 

 varies a good deal; a good many eggs are almost spherical, 



TOL. III. 5 



